March 23, 2011

Crysis 2 Review

Crysis 2 picks up after the events of the original game, dropping you in the middle of a near-future NYC, which is stricken by not one, but two disasters: a viral pandemic and an alien invasion. At the beginning of the game you inherit the new and improved Nanosuit 2, which the game describes as a piece of combat technology so complete that "the divide between man and weapon disappears." Crysis 2's science fiction feels a bit familiar at times, but the experience itself is really what makes Crytek's multiplatform sequel stand out amongst others in its class. It's an exhilarating action game, both in single-player and multiplayer, that sets a new standard for sci-fi themed shooters.

Interestingly, Crysis 2 doesn't exactly fit into either group. While it has aliens, futuristic weapons, and other sci-fi elements, the universe Crysis 2 presents is more grounded in realism than shooters with similar subject matter like Halo or The Conduit. The game does such an exceptional job of combining real-life (New York City, existing weapon technology) with fantasy (aliens, fictional weapons, skintight suits that grant superhuman abilities), that I think it'll appeal to a lot of shooter fans in both camps.

What really sets it apart from other online shooters is how (in most multiplayer modes) everyone is battling in Nanosuits -- unlike the campaign, where you're the only one taking advantage of its unique abilities. Multiplayer matches become frenzied and intense due to the limitless ways you can adapt to and take advantage of your own Nanosuit. And the more you play you begin to develop new tactics to engage the enemy with, who likely have their own unique style of Nanosuit fighting.